22/01/2020  Happy Valley  Race 9

FRESH POWER shifted in at the start and bumped GREEN REIGN which became unbalanced. AFRICAN SKY began only fairly. SPECIAL STARS shifted out at the start and bumped RELENTLESS ME. After this, from a wide barrier, SPECIAL STARS was shifted across behind runners in the early stages. Despite being hard ridden for some distance in the early stages, POWERMAX was slow to muster speed. After travelling a short distance, HINCHINLOVE shifted out and bumped HERCULES. Approaching the 800 Metres, HINCHINLOVE raced tight between WINNING METHOD and QUADRUPLE DOUBLE which shifted out from behind SPEED VISION when travelling keenly. WINNING METHOD then became unbalanced after being bumped by HINCHINLOVE. HINCHINLOVE subsequently travelled keenly when being steadied to obtain cover behind QUADRUPLE DOUBLE. After this, QUADRUPLE DOUBLE continued to travel keenly. After the 600 Metres, POWERMAX was left racing wide and without cover. Passing the 600 Metres, HINCHINLOVE lay in away from the heels of QUADRUPLE DOUBLE and brushed GREEN REIGN, resulting in both horses becoming unbalanced. GREEN REIGN then got its head on the side, lay out and bumped HINCHINLOVE. Passing the 100 Metres, HERCULES was shifted in away from the heels of QUADRUPLE DOUBLE. FRESH POWER was held up for clear running over the last 150 Metres and consequently was not able to be properly tested. After the race, Z Purton stated that the circumstances of the race were against WINNING METHOD being able to finish off the race. He said after beginning only fairly and then shortly after the start being bumped by CALIFORNIA TURBO which shifted out, he had to make a lot of use of WINNING METHOD to obtain a forward position and then was required to race in a three wide position until passing the 600 Metres at which stage the horse was able to shift across to race outside SPEED VISION. He said WINNING METHOD came under heavy pressure after the 300 Metres and then gave ground in the Straight which he attributed to the amount of use he had to make of the horse in the early and middle stages. A veterinary inspection of WINNING METHOD immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. A veterinary inspection of FRESH POWER immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. WINNING METHOD, HINCHINLOVE and GREEN REIGN were sent for sampling.